Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment (2024)

4 Stars (out of 4)

We Have Such Sights to Show You

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Clive Barker changed horror in the 1980s. His Books of Blood story collections showed a new level of horror, as did his directorial debut, Hellraiser, just a few years later. While others were looking for new ways to show psycho killers hack up canoodling teens, or ramping up the blood and gore with a sense of sinister glee, Barker went darker. Hellraiser is truly about the unknown, a world of horror so intense and so deeply imagined that it can't be fully grasped.

Arrow Video has released the first four films in the Hellraiser series — the only four that were shown theatrically and had any involvement from Barker (until the 2022 reboot) — in spectacular new Blu-ray and 4K box sets. The new transfers and extensive extras in this set makes it an essential item for any fan.

The original Hellraiser (see my full review) remains a masterpiece of horror. The disc includes three commentary tracks: a new one by critic Kim Newman and historian Stephen Jones, another from the 2000 DVD release with Barker and actor Ashley Laurence (moderated by Peter Atkins), and an older one with Barker. Other bonuses are: a new 60-minute documentary on the film, two new visual essays, a 60-minute discussion by horror authors Paula D. Ashe and Eric LaRocca on the queerness of Barker and Hellraiser, newly discovered EPK interviews with Barker and stars Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, and effects artist Bob Keen, shot during the making of the film, the original 1987 EPK, archival interviews with Sean Chapman and Doug Bradley, an archival interview with Stephen Thrower of Coil, the group that recorded the original, abandoned music score, trailers, TV spots, an image gallery, and screenplay drafts.

Hellbound: Hellraiser II was a surprisingly strong sequel, with astonishing visuals, although it was roundly dismissed in its day. (See my full review.) The disc includes a new commentary track by Jones and Newman, and two older tracks: one with director Tony Randel, writer Peter Atkins and actor Ashley Laurence, and another with just Randel and Atkins. Bonuses include an 80-minute featurette on the film, an appreciation of Christopher Young's scores for the first two films, achival interviews with Barker and the cast and crew, behind-the-scenes footage, archival interviews with Chapman and Bradley, an archival featurette, trailers and TV spots, and an image gallery.

I saw Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth in the theater and thought it was pretty silly; a second viewing later on confirmed this, but at least it has a great theme song by Motörhead. (See my full review.) This disc includes an alternate unrated version, although new inserts are standard definition only, giving it an uneven look. Jones and Newman offer another commentary track, and there are older tracks by writer Atkins, and another with director Anthony Hickox and actor Doug Bradley. Other bonuses include EPK interviews with Barker and Bradley, FX dailies, an interview with actor Paula Marshall, an archival interview with Anthony Hickox, an archival interview with Bradley, a trailer, and an image gallery.

I was new to Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996), which was an ambitious attempt to expand the scope of the Hellraiser universe: an origin story, and a futuristic story all in one. Unfortunately, it was produced by Dimension Films and director Kevin Yagher butted heads with Harvey Weinstein about the film's direction. Yagher lost, the film was released badly butchered, and Yagher had his credit replaced with "Alan Smithee." I was interested in seeing it, but to be honest, I couldn't finish it. Nonetheless, the stories behind the film are fascinating. The disc includes a new commentary track with Atkins, Jones, and Newman. Other bonuses are a featurette about the goth and fetish aspects of the series, a workprint version of the film, an archival documentary about the franchise (featuring interviews with directors Scott Derrickson and Stuart Gordon), an appreciation of Barker's written work, a theatrical trailer, and an image gallery.